In August 2019, AS/NZS 4801:2001 was superseded by AS/NZS ISO 45001:2018.
Whilst many of our clients have migrated to ISO 45001, some of our clients have for various reasons remained certified to AS/NZS 4801. These reasons include but are not limited to customer perceptions, statutory and regulatory requirements, and delays in management system changes. For some of these reasons, JASANZ (Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand) has continued to support accredited AS 4801 certification under JASANZ Procedure 2.
This type of support is now changing. As from 31 March 2021, JASANZ will be withdrawing Procedure 2, and repositioning accreditation requirements for AS/NZS 4801 certification to align with those already present for ISO 45001. This is likely to have an impact on audit durations and therefore audit fees.
In practical terms, what this means for clients maintaining certification to AS/NZS 4801 is that, unless there good reason to continue to do so, migration to ISO 45001 certification should be actioned as soon as practicable. Where there is an “imposed requirement” for maintaining AS/NZS 4801 certification (e.g. through legislation), accredited certification will continue to be provided through Equal Assurance for at least as long as JASANZ continues to provide for the related accreditation. In addition, and subject to the abovementioned, it will also be possible for certification to both ISO 45001 and AS/NZS 4801 to be retained if needed.
Following 13 July 2023, JASANZ accredited certification to AS/NZS 4801 will not be available without documented evidence of an imposed requirement.
Changes in respect of OHSMS certification programs should also be considered in line with our policy for migrations of OHSAS 18001 certifications, should this also apply to you. Please visit the News section of this website to find out more.
For more information, please talk to your Client Manager or Account Manager, or feel free to contact us directly for further details.